Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Avia."

"Here, here!"

The little boy whose name was called out was so nervous his voice cracked.

Tomorrow marked the grand opening day of Factory No. 1, and the overseers at the farm had given orders the night before, exceptionally allowing them to bathe with water mixed with hot water.

"Make sure you're all clean! The products at Factory No. 1 have very high hygiene standards! If you're dirty and hinder production, you're done for!"

The overseer yelled fiercely, and Avia shrank in fear, but unusually, he didn't see the overseer whipping anyone.

Avia, having vigorously scrubbed himself clean, was almost unrecognizable to his mother.

His lean body, still just skin over bones, had hair no longer clumped with mud and ice. Perhaps due to the previous filth, his skin wasn't as dark as imagined; once cleaned, his wheat-colored skin even revealed faintly handsome features.

His mother, teary-eyed and afraid to touch him with her dirty hands, said, "Just endure a bit longer, in a few years, our handsome Avia will surely serve in the lord's castle!"

A male servant's life was far better than that of a regular slave! Becoming an overseer was an unreachable dream, so being a servant was already the ultimate "dream" they could imagine.

Having bathed, sleeping on the ground no longer seemed appropriate, so Avia and his mother gathered large leaves, washed them in the river, and shook off the water to make their “bed” for the night.

Over half of the farm's strong labor force had gone to work at the construction site. Slaves had no wages, but the kind lord had provided them with "dormitories" to shelter from the elements.

A special area near the farm was fenced off, where countless houses were being built.

Working at the construction site earned them work points, which could be used to “rent a house”.

Transporting a cart of bricks earned 1 work point, with each cart over ten earning two points, and each cart over twenty earning three points.

It was said many slaves could earn dozens or even hundreds of points, enough for an entire family to move in!

A wooden house could accommodate twenty people, charging per head: two points per child per night, five labor points for adults, and an extra five points for a thick cotton quilt.

Avia calculated with his limited math knowledge that if he could earn 12 work points a day, he and his mother could escape the cold and safely spend the winter!

Not only does it shelter from wind and rain, but it also offers a soft, fluffy quilt to sleep in.

In Phelos's eyes, these were just crudely built wooden huts, but for the slaves, it was a more luxurious and comfortable life than when they were free citizens!

Slaves who weren't chosen to work at the construction site envied with eyes turning red!

Avia had been eagerly awaiting this day ever since he heard that all children were needed to work at Factory No. 1 due to a labor shortage.

The night before starting work, Avia lay in his mother's arms, nervous and excited, trying hard to sleep, but his body, buzzing with anticipation, felt no fatigue.

Avia was too anxious to sleep well, and his mother was not much more relaxed, but eventually, the exhaustion from their heavy physical labor overwhelmed them, and even with active minds, they fell into a deep sleep in the latter part of the night.

The next day, the work bell rang as usual, and Avia's eyelids snapped open at top speed: "Time for work!"

'Going to work' was a new term that emerged after Phelos arrived.

Going to work signified work points, and work points symbolized having a house and a blanket. All the slaves quickly embraced this word, earnestly hoping they too could rightfully utter it.

Today, Avia's long-cherished "dream" was finally coming true! He was going to be a gatherer at Factory No. 1!

Gatherers didn’t have a base salary in work points but were provided with three meals a day, and exceptional workers could earn extra points.

His mother repeatedly instructed him, "Avia, make sure you work hard for the lord, understand?"

Avia nodded vigorously.

No slave looked forward to working less, according to those returning from the site, the food there was excellent! Not only filling but so delicious they wanted to swallow their tongues!

Avia couldn’t imagine such delights. The farm was large and remote, the city's "first line of defense". In case of undead and monster sieges, they would be the first to die.

Thousands of people couldn't hold back the hordes of undead and monsters, but having all the farms there, with tens of thousands of slaves as "provisions", could buy some time — enough for the nobles to flee.

In such a place, not even the scent of honey bread could reach. Avia’s definition of delicious was probably the porridge from two days ago.

"Line up, everyone line up! Today is the first working day at Factory No. 1. The canteen is closed due to the workload, so eat here and then head to school!"

Before starting work, trucks of food were brought in.

The overseers and strong male slaves carried down iron food containers one by one, then opened the lids.

Instantly, the aroma of Factory No. 1's employee meal burst out like an explosion, mingling with the steam.

Breakfast's main dish was still high-yielding and tasty mashed potatoes, but prepared differently than potato slop. Steamed potatoes were mashed without water, giving an impression of "definitely filling". Topped with a big scoop and gravy, a spoonful filled the mouth, the soft, mushy potatoes, and rich sauce immediately conquering the taste buds!

Tofu, a plant protein, replaced meat, fried with garlic in lard, making it instantly seem like meat to those who'd never had any. Mushroom powder added flavor and aroma, along with a thick gravy, the rich and varied tastes bombarding the palate more fiercely than a bomb.

Though lacking cilantro and green onions, the gravy's and potatoes' flavors were already domineering!

Aiwya stuffed steaming hot gravy potatoes into her mouth like a little pig, not even pausing to mix the gravy with the potatoes like others.

"Here, one for each."

Breakfasts are generally simple, ensuring a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables.

A serving of gravy-covered potatoes was hardly sufficient for the workers, even in large portions, prompting the distribution of a pumpkin bun larger than an adult's fist.

Pumpkin itself is a sweet carb, infusing a fragrant sweetness into the dough without the need for added sugar.

The soft buns, freshly steamed in the morning, were large despite their fluffiness, and biting into one seemed to only graze the surface.

The workers bit off large chunks, slowly chewing and savoring the subtle sweetness.

Watching them, Aiweiya couldn't help but salivate, but his child-sized stomach was already full from a large bowl of gravy-covered potatoes, leaving no room for more.

Since the ingredients were similar, the slaves working in the fields also had gravy-covered potatoes, but lacked the sweet pumpkin buns.

The disparity in treatment between agricultural workers and laborers was a well-considered decision by Phelos.

Lansville needed change, but such transformation wasn't instantaneous; slavery involved too many issues, almost like challenging the entire continent's "foundational rule".

Declaring Lansville an enemy of the ruling class wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Phelos wasn't afraid, but as a lord, he had to consider the unfortunate slaves.

Lansville required change, and the slaves needed a more peaceful transition.

The shift from agricultural worker to laborer served as an excellent "smokescreen".

The city of Dayak lacked significant industries or magic workshops, meaning the slaves had solely depended on farming to generate value for their masters.

Developing agriculture was indeed part of Phelos's plan, but the current inefficient, weather-dependent, labor-wasting farming method was due for obsolescence.

At this point, the naïve slaves were easily persuaded to become "laborers", a concept alien to them, introducing a pseudo-class between slave and civilian, the "slave laborer".

The conditions for the slaves hadn't changed much, but he provided a path from slavery to "laborer".

Slave laborers didn't earn wages, but received work points similar to regular laborers, initially redeemable for renting houses and blankets, with potential future additions like meat, oil, eggs, property rights, and even citizenship.

The construction of wooden houses and the acceleration of factory recruitment ensured that all slaves would soon transition to "laborers".

This transformation wasn't long, but gradual, unnoticed by slaves, stewards, commoners, nobles, or the extraordinary.

Everyone was misled by the facade of the "benevolent and kind lord", only to realize the true nature of the change when the smooth transition was already complete.

After breakfast, Aiweiya was taken to Factory No. 1.

Lansville's population wasn't large, but Phelos planned the city's functional zones for a "large" city of half a million people, placing Factory No. 1 far from the current urban area, closer to the farms.

Aiweiya felt as if he had entered a divine realm, first donning what seemed like incredibly expensive attire, then entering a grand, majestic castle.

Eighty percent of the campus work is done by workers and the undead, with only the teaching building completely constructed by Philos.

[Sky Tower (Epic)]: A teaching building constructed in two days to meet deadlines, carried by clouds and holding the futures of countless students.

Skill 1: ???

Skill 2: ???

……

Skill 999: ???

In a magical world, opening a school meant it had to be a magic school! Teaching mere letters, poetry, arithmetic, and art was beneath Phelos's own standards!

As a magic school, magical duels, experimental explosions, summoning angels, and binding demons would be commonplace!

Other facilities can be simple, but the core teaching building and laboratories must not be compromised!

Disliking repetition, Phelos had initially planned for a future teeming with level 100 extraordinaries.

The "Sky Tower" floating in the air was less a tower and more a magical city, with everything related to magic and skills, rendering it virtually inaccessible to ordinary people.

This wasn't Phelos re-emphasizing the class divide between ordinaries and extraordinaries, but confidence.

A world where only a few wield skills was too dull; one day, he aimed to transform this reality into something more exciting than any game world, where everyone was extraordinary and could use magic. How wonderful!

Named the Sky Tower, it naturally wouldn't reside on the ground; for his own romantic vision, Phelos designed it as an eternally airborne abode.

But romance aside, the students, mere children, couldn't ascend on their own.

Considering this, Phelos drew a group teleportation circle at the mountain's base and tethered the Sky Tower to the mountain, giving the illusion of classrooms set atop the peak.

"Hmm..." Using the teleportation circle for the first time, the kids inevitably felt seasick, but the thought of the precious pumpkin red bean cakes in their stomachs and their cherished new clothes helped them suppress any urge to vomit!

"...Aiweiya, Vivian, Alice, Sherry, Helen..."

The six children from dormitory 3033 were unsurprisingly placed in the same class.

Sitting in a bright and tidy classroom, Vivian felt both nervous and apprehensive. Following the instructions of "Janitor Thor", she opened her "tool bag" and, mimicking Thor's actions, matched each item with its corresponding name.

"Pencil, eraser, notebook, ruler..."

"We'll do introductions and get to know each other after class. For now, everyone must remain quiet. You may only speak when I ask you to answer questions or discuss something. Understood?"

Dozens of little heads nodded in unison, in silence.

Thor explained succinctly, "The production process for textbooks is lengthy. The official textbooks will be distributed in a week. For now, we'll start with some basic explanations."

The students' textbooks were exclusively magic textbooks, something Thor had never even heard of. He felt envious and wished he were a citizen under the master's rule.

All the children entering school were illiterate, without exception.

Everyone had to start from scratch, so classes couldn't be organized by grade level as usual.

The current class division is based on age. Class 41 is for 4-year-olds, and class 156 for 15-year-olds, their sixth class.

Children aged 4-6 attended school five days a week, with two morning classes, two afternoon classes, and one practical session (meditation). Overloading them with information at such a young age could hinder their development.

Children aged 7-12 had classes six days a week, with three morning and three afternoon classes, plus 1-2 practical sessions (meditation). Their progress might be slower, but considering the need for a balanced work-rest cycle, holidays for relaxation were still necessary.

Teenagers aged 13-17 had no holidays and were expected to utilize even their evenings. Their schedule included early morning self-study plus four classes, four afternoon classes, and three evening practical sessions.

They were racing against time to build their foundations!

In the city of Dayak, schools were non-existent, and most people didn't even know what a school was. The first training session wasn't like their usual work, but when Tony told them to stay quiet and focus on his words, they obediently listened and watched intently.

"Ding-a-ling-ling—"

As the bell rang for class dismissal, Thor had just finished teaching a basic universal script. Adhering to his principle of never overextending his work hours, he raised his voice, "Today's task, or rather, work, is to copy these ten characters 20 times and memorize them. Hand in your workbooks on my desk before class tomorrow. Got it?"

At this moment, the children finally understood their role, responding in unison, "Yes, overseer!"

Thor didn't soften his demeanor for their slight mark of respect.

He, a noble low-ranking knight, was tasked with teaching these lowly—

"Overseer, overseer, what's wrong?!"

Streams of white light, resembling electrical discharge, burst forth from his doll-like body, causing it to convulse.

Phelos harbored no sympathy for these reformed convicts; despite them effectively performing a teacher's duties, he denied them even the title, treating them uniformly as "janitors".

Their identity was uniformly that of janitors.

Before the school opened, Phelos had indeed conducted genuine "on-the-job training" for them, but it was too brief. He had no expectations of their "noble professional ethics" and, after handing them a thick "Teacher's Professional Code," set strict punitive rules.

No need for fanciness; disobedience is met with electric shocks, plain and simple!

For insulting students with derogatory language, thirty seconds at a hundred thousand volts.

"I-I'm fine, zzzt, bam..." Thor, emitting wisps of white smoke, forced a smile and said, "You better start working now, Anton will come to teach you other things in ten minutes."

General literacy, basics of magical theory, runic fundamentals, swordsmanship, introductory herbalism, and alchemy...

A total of fifteen basic courses awaited the children.

Starting from zero, they were either pure illiterates or blank slates, ready to be imprinted with whatever was taught.

Too many and too diverse subjects detrimental to learning efficiency? No matter.

These children couldn't even recognize letters; Phelos never expected them to become outstanding talents through these courses alone.

Progress, like eating, happens one bite at a time, and grades accumulate one point at a time.

The focus is now on universal literacy, with other courses serving to deepen the impression.

Best if they can remember and assimilate; even if not, it serves as a method to strengthen memory.

Of course, among so many students, there will always be standout "geniuses." The monthly exam in one month will differentiate them.

Those surpassing the passing mark can "skip grades," and thereafter, the teaching content becomes more targeted.

Whether these children become physical trainers or extraordinaries, knowledge will never betray them. Understanding a few more disciplines is never a bad thing.

Copying ten basic characters 20 times amounts to 200 characters, a significant challenge for children just learning to hold a pen—impossible to complete in just ten minutes.

"Ding, ding-a-ling-ling—"

Alice had barely reached the sixteenth character when the class bell rang.

Anton, who looked very similar to Thor but with much more symmetrical eyes, walked in at the ring of the class bell.

Seeing him enter the classroom, Alice thought he was there to hurry her work, but she hadn't even finished writing the word twenty times, almost dropping her pen in panic.

"Put down your pens; now we begin learning the most basic magic runes."

Alice's head buzzed. On her first day at work, was she about to be fired for not completing her tasks?!

"Put it away, the work left by Tony is for you to do after class. Don’t sneakily write during my class! Listen up, my class is a major subject! Very important!"

Only then did Alice remember that Thor had said the work was due tomorrow morning before class.

"Phew—" Relieved to have narrowly escaped trouble, Alice took several deep breaths, realizing then that her classmates felt the same.

"You should know, magical runes are..." Anton, no kind-hearted man, started his lecture as soon as the bell rang, unconcerned for the students.

Alice quickly took out a new workbook and began to pay attention to the lesson.

Unlike common text, even the basics of magical runes are deep and complex; in a 45-minute class, Anton could only explain one.

"After class, copy the rune taught today 50 times. Bring your workbook tomorrow before morning reading, memorize its function. Tomorrow, I'll randomly quiz you, and if you can't answer, well!"

His lips, as fine as grass tips, curved into a disdainful and scornful smile. Though he didn't finish his sentence, the implied menace was chilling.

The usual ten-minute break after class was silent; the entire castle, not just the classroom, lacked the sounds of children playing.

Everyone was seriously and solemnly engaged in their "work".

With three back-to-back classes in the morning, Alice focused as best as she could, but such prolonged concentration left her feeling light and floaty.

She was familiar with this sensation; it's how she felt when extremely hungry.

But she found it strange; today she had only been sitting, drawing patterns in her workbook, not doing any physical work.

And she had eaten three pumpkin and red bean cakes for breakfast!

"Please, all employees pack your tools and line up orderly on the playground for dismissal. The cafeteria is now open; please dine in an orderly manner between 11:30 and 12:30."

"Time for lunch!!!"

"Gatherers" don't receive a monthly salary but are provided with three meals a day. All the civilian children had already eaten pumpkin and red bean cakes in the morning, so no breakfast was distributed.

But the midday meal was eaten together.

To not disrupt the students' efficiency in class, the cafeteria was located near the dormitories, out of scent range from the mountaintop classrooms. However, once they descended from the Sky Tower via the teleportation circle, the tantalizing aroma of food nearly overwhelmed them.

So fragrant, so fragrant, so fragrant—

So hungry, so hungry, so hungry—

The child responsible for the cleanliness around the teleportation circle said, “Today is your first day, and you know nothing, so I’ll help you this time. But from now on, you must come by yourselves, understand?”

“Now, take out the key you were just given…”

In the Unalia Empire, teleportation circles were installed in every city. Not only was each use limited to a maximum of three people, but they were also exclusively for the use of nobles.

Even the children of nobles, or extraordinary individuals below level 100, were not permitted to use them.

Spatial teleportation wasn't overly complex magic; a high-level space mage could master it. The principle behind teleportation circles was also not difficult. However, the reason for these restrictions was to maintain the “status gap” between nobles and others.

As a game player, Phelos couldn't understand this self-limiting practice of restricting teleportation circle usage.

Therefore, the school had over thirty teleportation circles, big and small.

The dormitory key had the basic function of opening dormitory doors but also doubled as an alchemical creation.

Of course, it was currently in its most basic form, possessing only the abilities to open dorm doors, project a 3D map for navigation, and teleport.

As the students earned more credits, they could unlock more functions.

"Hmm…"

The second teleportation had already acclimated the body somewhat, reducing the severity of dizziness and nausea.

Of course, the most important thing was the aroma emanating from the cafeteria.

Today's lunch was clay pot noodles and cola cakes.

The soup base for the clay pot noodles was a milky white bone broth, simmered for over a dozen hours, with the bones and marrow almost dissolved, giving off an almost tangibly rich aroma.

The cook, taught by Phelos, was far from average, enticing the wooden dolls to linger around the cafeteria kitchen with a broth flavored with spring onions, ginger, and pepper.

Not to mention the tantalizing scent of the oil-rich fried cola cakes.

In a world where unpalatable (dark) cuisine prevails, such flavors were like a bombshell of deliciousness!

"Then, someone shouted, 'Charge!'"

In an instant, thousands of students surged towards the cafeteria like a flood breaking through a dam.

Phelos had anticipated this and designed wide pathways to the cafeteria with numerous spacious doors to minimize the risk of stampedes.

Of course, even in the event of a stampede, it wouldn't be a problem; he had set up rescue bubble magic that would envelop students in a tough bubble and whisk them away from danger if they were about to be crushed, suffocated, or fall.

In any world, the mass exodus towards the cafeteria after class is a sight to behold.

A pack of hungry wolves entered the cafeteria, only to be dazed by the aroma.

“Hello, what type of noodles would you like? Would you like to add spice to your soup?”

The clay pot noodles offered three types of noodles: sweet potato starch, potato starch, and regular noodles.

The soup base, made from a rich bone broth, was combined with seaweed, mushroom, bean curd skin, cabbage, and bean sprouts, topped off with a spoonful of crispy fried peanuts.

The students, unaccustomed to using chopsticks, were assisted by a magical projection on the ceiling that looped a tutorial on how to use chopsticks and spoons.

Their adaptability was impressive; they soon learned, albeit clumsily, to scoop the long, slender noodles into their mouths.

“I’ll have the potato noodles, no spice, thank you,” Vivian said nervously as she found a seat with her bowl. Quickly, Sherry and a few roommates joined her with their own bowls, too eager to marvel at the cleanliness and spaciousness of the cafeteria, and started slurping their noodles.

With the first taste of the noodles and vegetables soaked in rich broth, their souls were nearly captivated!

The bone broth was rich and creamy, the various vegetables cooked to a sweet tenderness. The crunchy cabbage and bean sprouts paired with the chewy bean curd and seaweed provided a symphony of textures.

Vivian chose potato noodles, a soft, white variety unlike any potato she had seen before, amusing and delightful to eat.

Both potato and sweet potato noodles were chewy, while the regular noodles, hand-cut and quickly boiled before being chilled in ice water, were soft, delicate, and satisfyingly chewy.

Growing children need proper nutrition; adults might compromise, but not the children.

If the clay pot noodles lacked meat, then “snacks” would be added to compensate.

The golden cola cakes, as big as an adult's palm, are made from mashed potatoes, carrot bits, and minced meat, shaped into round cakes, then rolled in egg wash and breadcrumbs before frying.

Fried to a golden, crispy perfection, they were drained of oil and then cut into halves or even quarters.

Stomachs unaccustomed to meat required time to adapt; teenagers aged 13-18 paired a bowl of casserole noodles with half a cola cake, while children aged 4-12 had a smaller portion of noodles with a quarter of a cola cake.

"Crack—"

The crispy cola cake crumbled down at each bite, its mere breadcrumbs causing Vivian distress; she hurriedly caught them with her hands, gathering every fallen crumb from her palm and the table to eat, then quickly held her bowl under to catch any more falling crumbs.

Such a delicious treat couldn't afford even the slightest waste—every bit lost was akin to incurring divine punishment!

The outer crust of the cola cake was crispy but the inside was soft; the mashed potatoes were tender, the sweet crunch of carrot bits adding rich texture, and the meat was the ultimate source of flavor and joy, its juices bursting in the mouth, bringing tears of happiness alongside the meaty broth.

The minced meat inside the cola cake was finely chopped by the cooks, who repeatedly added scallion and ginger water during the process to remove any gamey taste, then kneaded with the mashed potatoes and carrots, creating a burst of juices when first cut open, a sight that distressed the cooks!

The first attempt at making cola cakes was inexperienced; fearing undercooked meat and overly small, burnt cakes, they were pressed thin and enlarged, fried a bit longer before being cut open.

In the end, the cola cakes were still cut open in the bowl with scissors, so as not to waste any of the escaping juices.

After lunch, the students wanted to return to the "workshop" to continue "working," but were informed that the "workshop" would be off-limits after 12:30.

"At this time, you should go back to the dormitory to sleep," said Tonir, the head of the cleaning crew. "Afternoon work requires full energy. Employees who haven't slept enough won't be helpful, and being unhelpful means wasting the lunch provided."

The children's faces turned pale with fear.

No one understood better than they did the fate of workers who weren't helpful.

Here, with spacious workshops, large and delicious meals, and beautiful, comfortable clothing, they absolutely, absolutely couldn't afford to lose their jobs.

However...

"Is this really for us to sleep in?" Vivian asked fearfully, eyeing the warm-looking bed with trepidation, "What if I dirty it?" She changed into her own grass clothes, considering the floor a decent alternative. Here, without leaks and with the windows shut against the wind, it was dozens of times better than her own home!

Vivian didn't have lice on her, as lice were considered "meat," and their presence meant an added meal, quickly to be caught and eaten!

Moreover, before coming here, in an effort to leave a good impression on the lord, her mother had heated water for them to wash thoroughly, so Vivian was quite clean. Yet, even so, in this clean room and soft bed, she was still afraid.

It was an unavoidable situation; everything she was experiencing now far exceeded her understanding and imagination.

Alice carefully took off her uniform, then gently wiped off the non-existent dust with

Then, after giving herself another wipe, she snuggled into the warm bed.

Her time working in the castle had somewhat accustomed her to such cleanliness; her maid's uniform and bedding were always kept immaculate.

"Lord's orders are paramount. What if poor sleep hampers our afternoon work?!" Alice said. "If the Lord has provided such beds, there must be a reason. I don't understand, but the Lord surely does!"

Vivian felt Alice made a lot of sense!

Inspired, the other children took out towels from their utility packs and, mimicking Alice, wiped down their uniforms before cleaning themselves.

"So soft!!!" Although Vivian's clothes were made of Ji Ji grass, their house did have one quilt.

It was a cotton quilt, thick and warm, bought during her great-grandfather's time, which had seen them through countless cold winters.

It was their family's most treasured possession!

Despite being worn and old, emitting a smell that never seemed to dissipate.

The smell was natural; as her mother said, it was very, very old. They had to handle it delicately, fearing it might tear with any extra force.

Washing was out of the question! Merely airing it out in the sun when the weather was good was a luxury.

Vivian always thought that if there were a divine gift, it would resemble the quilt in its younger days. But today, lying on a real quilt, she knew—this was the divine gift, bestowed by the Lord himself!

Holding back tears, she vowed not to stain this divine gift with her tears.

Shirley hugged the quilt tightly, cautiously rubbing her face against it, murmuring, "So warm..."

Autumn temperatures were already dropping, especially in Lancelville with its significant day-night variations. Ji Ji grass might suffice during the day, but at night, even three layers of it could leave one shivering awake from cold.

In Sherry's house, without Grandfather's quilt and with the wall collapsed, there was no time or money for repairs. The family huddled in a corner for warmth, shivering with purple lips, praying for daybreak during rainy days.

Shirley had thought this autumn might be her last, never expecting to end up in such a comfortable, warm place.

Thinking of her parents at home, Shirley clenched her fists, silently swearing to work hard for the Lord.

"Alice, do you know where to buy such quilts?" Helen asked, nervous yet hopeful. "My parents and brother work in construction, my sister in a factory. They earn many copper coins a day. If we could buy a quilt, no one in our family would die this winter!"

Helen's words evoked envy, but not jealousy, among the other dormitory residents.

Every factory is hiring daily, and almost every household has someone working in factories or on construction sites.

After enduring the toughest days, everyone appreciates the hard-won life we have now, wishing it could last a bit longer.

Vivian and other children looked expectantly at Alice, knowing that 99% of families lacked blankets, and would buy them at any cost if available!

Even if the price is currently unaffordable, it's a new dream to strive for!

Alice thought hard and then shook her head guiltily, "The blankets aren't bought, they are made from warehouse fabric."

The fabric shortage in Lansville is severe. Previously, Phyllos had Blaze inquire about it, with the market only having enough fabric for about a hundred quilts.

Phyllos’s backpack, however, contained materials suitable for blankets, but they were of too high a grade!

Most were levels 200-300, and for children at levels 0-1, even getting close or touching them could be life-threatening!

Eventually, the castle curtains inspired Phyllos, who asked Blaze and resolved the issue smoothly.

The lord’s castle has 360 rooms, each with up to four windows and at least two, requiring at least two curtain pieces per window.

Even if unoccupied, to maintain the “lord’s” dignity, these curtains are changed annually.

A style of curtain fabric, even if rotated every few years, should not appear more than three times. Prominent nobles use them as disposable items!

The castle has a special warehouse for these curtains, which are burned as fuel after being used thrice.

These curtains are pricey, left over from lords decades ago who disregarded these “disposable items” and thus left behind expensively acquired curtains!

The warehouse stores “thirty sets” of curtains, which would be burned according to tradition during the next rotation.

Even the wealthy Phyllos found this practice exasperating, while the servants, lacking warm bedding, saw it as normal.

Under Phyllos's command, the curtains were repurposed into blankets and clothing, and while lacking cotton, the selection of thicker fabrics sufficed for the current temperature.

Among these fabrics was a batch as beautifully azure as the sky after rain.

Alice watched cartloads of fabric being sent to the garment factory, mistaking them for uniform materials, but they were just a fraction of the total.

Of course, the castle curtains were a temporary solution, failing to cover all needs. Before Phyllos could attract more business, the officials and city guards' families were raided.

Imitating the nobility has become a trend, and those of intermediate status eagerly follow suit, lavishing their homes with luxuries and fabric enough to make a four-piece bedding set for everyone!